What goes up, must come down; apparently. And this certainly applies to the gaits when you’re riding your horse. For many riders, successfully riding the transition into the canter and then staying with the movement in the canter itself is a great achievement. However, the next piece of the puzzle is returning to the trot. For many riders, no matter…
There is a tendency for riders to ‘hold’ a little too much during the downward transitions. And while the half halt is essential to the preparation and transition itself… Too much can lead to a very ‘stuck’ feeling when the horse actually makes it into the new gait! A little like ‘stuck in the mud’. In this episode, I am…
Have you ever fallen into the trap of trying to actually get your horse to canter? It’s a sneaky one that hides in plain sight. And it is an exhausting one as well. The good news is that you’re not alone! Over the years, I have seen so many riders make this mistake. Because trying to make your horse canter,…
For many riders, posture is something that they rarely think a whole lot about. It’s a basic that you ‘set and forget’. Meaning, you figure out what it is and how it feels, and then you are diligent in putting it onto autopilot. Which then frees you up to focus on other things. And this works well; until it doesn’t……
This transition is a personal favorite of mine. To ride and to help other riders as well. I really do believe that the walk to canter transition can help you and your horse to connect more to each other. It can help you to have more clarity over your canter aids, and your horse to become more responsive. And you…
The transition into canter is one that always gives us opportunities to develop and improve as riders. And it can do the same for our horses as well. And yet, for many riders, improvement is frustratingly slow! The good news is that it doesn’t have to be this way. Canter and transitions into the canter are one aspect of horse…
